This invention relates to a parcel sorting system and more particularly to a parcel sorting system wherein a package is transported to and deposited into a designated container.
At the present time, articles are sorted by categories by being transferred along a conveying apparatus past laborers who selectively remove the articles from the conveyer based upon the category displayed by the article. A typical article category would be the address zip code borne by a mailed article. The present procedure is labor intensive and therefore, expensive.
Automatic transfer mechanisms are known in the art which utilize a conveyor system and wherein a plurality of conveyors are positioned transverse to each other in order to provide a means for effecting a change of direction of a package travelling on the conveyor system. Generally, these conveyor systems are provided with means for independently powering each conveyer or with a sole powering means for powering two adjacent conveyors. An example of the latter system is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,841. Other apparatus provide a powered roller conveyor with rollers spaced apart a small distance so that small packages can be directed downwardly between rollers. Such a system is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,336. This system is limited since it is not useful for medium size or large size packages.
In other systems, means are provided for lifting packages from a powered conveyor in order to deposit them in designated bins. Such systems are complicated and expensive since mechanical movement of the lifting apparatus in three dimensions is required.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a parcel sorting system which eliminates the need for labor as a lifting apparatus to remove a parcel from a conveyor. It would also be desirable to provide such a system wherein parcel removal from a conveyer at a designated station or bin can be effected automatically. In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a system wherein parcel removal from a conveyor at a designated station can be effected automatically regardless of a position of the parcel along the width of the conveyor.